


School's Out

by BooksandKpop



Series: This Family always has room for more [6]
Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Dad! Inseong, Dad! Youngbin, Fluff, Kid! Chani, Kid! Hwiyoung, M/M, Parent Fic, Polyamory Negotiations, Teacher! Rowoon, This is only the beginning, happy ending though I promise, not really angst but a little bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 16:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20567726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksandKpop/pseuds/BooksandKpop
Summary: With the school year drawn to a close, Rowoon is no longer the teacher of Class 1C. Which means that Youngbin and Inseong can finally ask him out.





	School's Out

**Author's Note:**

> This was a long time coming. I'm sorry I've been so absent, I've been struggling to write recently and I have two very large WIPs for other fandoms that are taking a lot of my free time. I hope you like this though!

#

Arriving home early on a Friday was one of his favourite things about his job, other than the job itself of course. Today though it was a little bittersweet. It was the last day of the school year, which meant yet another class of bright young minds he had to say goodbye to. As he slipped off his shoes and slung his bag onto one of the hooks at the door a voice called out from the living room.

“Rowoon? Can you grab me a towel on your way in.”

“Sure thing.”

He grabbed a towel from the bathroom and made his way to the living room where he found his cousin sitting on the couch with her feet in a basin of water. Without needing to question her she told him it had gotten too hot and this was the best way she could think of to cool down without leaving the house. He just rolled his eyes and dropped the towel beside her.

“So, how was your last day?”

“Sad, as usual. The kids all wrote me cards and a few of them sent gifts.”

“Any wine?”

Sejeong laughed at the look he sent her but cheered when he said yes, he had in fact received a bottle of wine from one set of mothers. He promised they would crack it open later, silently thinking about the other thing he wanted to talk to his cousin about over dinner. 

The rest of the afternoon passed as Rowoon emptied his bag and tried not to cry too much at all the notes and drawings his students had given him. This happened every year and yet he still hadn’t found out how other teachers didn’t get emotional seeing their classes grow up and move on. It was a proud moment, of course, knowing he had done everything in his power to make sure they were prepared for their next years of school. But it was sad all the same. Some of the kids were such interesting characters, he hoped they never lost their spark.

Of course, there were a certain pair of students who came to mind in particular. Two very clever and hyper boys who thought they were very sneaky with certain questions. A small smile spread across his face when he thought about their very obvious whispers and attempts to keep secrets. Even if they hadn’t been so conspicuous, it wouldn’t have been hard to piece together what was happening with their parents.

And that was where he reached a very different problem. The last little slip of paper he had been handed today had not been from a student but from a parent. Youngbin, his tidy scrawl across the small scrap torn from a notebook with a number underneath it. A phone number, his - most likely at least. Unless this was some sort of prank, but he didn’t seem like the type. Which made him even more confused. Because if he had been interpreting Chani and Hwiyoung’s questions and statements right, which he was pretty confident he was, then why would Youngbin be giving him his number? 

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, pocketing the number and leaving his students letters in a neat pile on his desk. Tomorrow he would add them to his memory box, but right now he was getting hungry. Sejeong was delighted at the prospect of an early dinner, likely because it meant opening the wine. They ordered take out and bickered over what movie to watch while they ate. Eventually, they settled on some cheesy rom-com and Rowoon lost at rock-paper-scissors and had to go downstairs to meet their delivery boy. His cousin had the wine open and two glasses poured by the time he got back up and he laughed but graciously accepted one. It was about to be a long night.

After the pizza had long since been devoured and the movie was coming to its predictable end, Rowoon decided to finally spill his dilemma to his cousin. She had known something was up all evening but knew by now that he would talk when he was ready. And with his third glass of wine in hand, it was time to tell his story. The story of how he had a crush on two of his student's dads, who happened to be dating one another. 

His crush on them both started before they were dating though, that much he knew for sure. In fact, he had almost worked up the courage to ask Inseong out for coffee on the Friday before they broke for Christmas. He chickened out at the last minute, wishing him a happy holiday instead. It wasn’t hard to fall for Inseong, he was tall and handsome in an understated way. He was intelligent and so very doting on his son. Hwiyoung talked about his papa with stars in his eyes, and his brief interactions with him made Rowoon fall quickly. Youngbin, on the other hand, was a very gradual crush. He was soft-spoken and gentle despite the obvious muscle hidden under his clothes, and he cared for Chani so deeply it wasn’t hard to see where the young boy got his confidence from. If Rowoon had been braver he might have asked him to accompany him to the Valentine’s festival, but again he backed out before he could make a fool of himself.

Crushing on two people at once is bad enough, never mind when their sons are in your class. But when it finally fell into place for Rowoon that Inseong and Youngbin were together it hurt a lot more, knowing that he had just been a little too slow. And also that despite it all, he was still harbouring feelings for both of them. 

The couple had obviously been trying to hide their relationship and asked their sons not to say anything. Otherwise, Rowoon was certain that at some stage either Hwiyoung or Chani would have announced that fact for their news of the day. He supposed it was understandable. Apart from one or two others, Youngbin and Inseong were the youngest of all the parents from his class, and they were single fathers at that. So for them to start dating would have been a huge gossiping point for the other parents, and Rowoon was well aware of how unpleasant that could be. He understood that they wanted to keep their private lives private as best as they could, but what he didn’t understand was still this number. 

“Did he say anything when he gave it to you?”

“No, just ‘Thank you for everything and have a wonderful summer’. And then he slipped it into my hand when we shook.”

“And you didn’t think to ask him what it was about?”

“There were other parents still around, I didn’t really have that opportunity.”

“Well then why don’t we send a text and see?”

On a good day, Rowoon would easily be able to keep his phone out of reach of his nosy cousin. But he was exhausted and a little tipsy on three glasses of wine so he was just a little too slow to stop her grabbing the slip of paper out of his hand and yanking his phone off the table. He was too tired to even try and get up and chase after her when she bolted away, just pleading with his words that she didn’t do this. It was pointless, he knew, but he had to at least try something. 

“Hey, at least I’m not Mimi. I actually want you to get yourself a man - or two.”

“Sejeong come on, I don’t want to be a homewrecker. Inseong and Youngbin are happy together with their sons.”

“You don’t even know what his intentions are. Maybe he just wanted to keep in touch with his sons favourite teacher?”

“I’ve been Chani and Hwiyoung’s _ only _teacher.”

She shrugged, unlocking his phone and keying in the phone number. Whatever happened now Rowoon had made an attempt to stop her. He could always just block Youngbin’s number if it was really bad, he had done it with people his friends had tried to hook him up with before. So he took another mouthful of wine and closed his eyes, leaning deeper into the couch cushions as he waited for his cousin to deal her damage.

“Now, I think this is pretty safe.”

>Hot Dad Youngbin **9:55 pm**

Hi Youngbin, this is Rowoon. Just sending you a text so you’ve got my number too. Have a nice weekend!

“Was the nickname necessary?”

“Absolutely.”

Rowoon locked his phone and shoved it down the side of the couch where Sejeong wouldn’t be able to get it and turned on another movie. He was going to ignore whatever response he did or didn’t get for as long as he could. 

It reached midnight and Sejeong was falling asleep on Rowoons shoulder as the film credits rolled. He shrugged her off, rousing her from her wine induced daze. They both cleared away their takeout containers and wine glasses before grabbing some water and heading to bed. It was only as he went to set his alarm that Rowoon realised he had left his phone buried in the couch. He desperately didn’t want to go back for it, but it needed to be charged for the morning since he was going to meet some friends for breakfast. So he snuck as quietly as he could back out to the living room and spent a good five minutes digging around under the cushions until he found it. Waking the screen there were several social media notifications which he dismissed one by one until he reached his text banner. 

**“Hot Dad Youngbin - 2 new messages”**

He took a deep breath before dismissing that notification too and unlocking his phone to set his alarm. It was late and he was too emotionally exhausted to deal with this right now, it could wait until the morning. So with that he went back to his room, plugged in his phone and rolled over in bed and tried to fall asleep. He eventually did, but it was with Youngbin and Inseongs bright smiles on his mind.

***

“He hasn’t replied yet, do you think I came on too strong?”

“Babe it’s fine. He probably fell asleep or something, just wait until the morning.”

  
  


Youngbin pouted but agreed with Inseong’s logic. He put his phone on charge and then rolled over away from it, cuddling up to his partner instead. The taller rearranged his arm so that Youngbin was lying comfortably on his chest and he could keep reading his book. They had spent the evening together, just the two of them, Juho and Taeyang having volunteered to watch the boys for the night. Of course, Chani and Hwiyoung had been over the moon about having a sleepover at their uncle Juho’s house, and their parents were relieved to have some time off.

“What’s it going to be like all summer? I barely made it through last year.”

“We’ll be fine, the creche will still be running some hours and between the other guys and playdates we will manage.”

Inseong dropped a kiss on top of Youngbin’s head as a reassurance that it would work out. With both of them now in well-paid positions it made paying for childcare a whole lot easier, even if they had a few extra hours here and there they had to pick up. But they made it work, and now finally their little family had settled down properly. Well, except for one thing.

“Do you really think he would go on a date with me? Even though he absolutely knows we’re together.”

“Well he is a very intelligent man, I’m sure if you explain things to him it will help him understand. All we can do is give it a shot and see how he feels.”

They had discussed it before, their feelings for Rowoon. Of course, it wasn’t a crush to take lightly - he was their sons' teacher after all. But it was hard to deny the attraction they both admitted to the tall man, not only physically but also emotionally. The way Chani and Hwiyoung spoke so highly of him and how much he genuinely seemed to adore working with the kids, it didn’t take much to give both Youngbin and Inseong butterflies. But how he would feel about dating them was a very different story. They weren’t even sure if he liked men, never mind would he be willing to be in a relationship with not one, but two parents of his students. That was why they had waited until the summer - so he technically wasn’t their teacher anymore.

“Let’s not worry about it right now, alright? Do you want to take a bath?”

“I would like that very much.”

Whether or not Rowoon got back to him, whether or not he was willing to get to know them a little better, they would always have each other. And as Inseong pulled Youngbin into his arms for a deep kiss, they knew that they were already happy the way they were.

***

His alarm rang shrilly, interrupting Rowoon’s blissful, dreamless sleep. He groaned and rolled over to hit the snooze on his phone. There was already the beginning of a headache and he had only just woken up. Sitting up he rubbed his hands down his face before grabbing the glass on his bedside table and downing the last of the water. He was going to need a coffee and paracetamol before he went anywhere this morning. He grabbed his phone and trudged to the kitchen, trying to be quiet since it was doubtful Sejeong was awake yet. If it wasn’t for the fact he hadn’t met his friends in months he probably would have cancelled to stay in bed too. 

After a coffee and a shower, Rowoon felt more like a functioning human. His wardrobe was filled with his classroom appropriate clothes and while he loved his style, it was his first day of holidays and was feeling brave. So he hunted through drawers until he found a pair of ripped skinny jeans that he hadn’t worn in over a year and a tank top with very open arms. His friends were absolutely going to tease him about his outfit but he didn’t care, he felt good like this. He left a note for his cousin before grabbing his wallet and a jacket and heading out to the café they were meeting at for breakfast.

On the bus, Rowoon finally got a chance to check on his social media. He didn’t use it very often, but it was his only way of keeping up to date with his other friends. Most of them were models or in the entertainment industry, and here he was the boring old teacher. He went to his messages to inform the group chat that he was on his way when an unread notification made him almost drop his phone.

**Hot Dad - 2 unread messages - 10:57 pm**

Rowoon suddenly remembered why he had drunk so much wine last night in the first place, and the headache felt like it was going to come back. He couldn’t clearly remember what Sejeong had told him she sent as a message, and he couldn’t just leave the messages unread. But he didn’t want to deal with this right now, not when he was only one stop away from his destination. So he messaged his group chat and then locked his phone, trying to shake his head free from the mental images of Youngbin’s bright smile and the way he looked so lovingly at his sons.

Of course, when it slipped out in conversation that Rowoon had been given a phone number by an attractive guy, his friends were immediately full of questions. He managed to avoid the fact that Youngbin was already in a relationship, but they got his name and the fact he was one of Rowoon’s students' parents. And apparently, that was enough for them. 

“If you don’t message him I will, and I know you don’t want that.”

“Or maybe he does, you got him a date with that music producer before.”

“Yeah and that didn’t work out did it? Even though you guys were perfect for one another.”

In the end, Rowoon agreed to read the messages and respond, but only so that Jaehyun didn’t do it. They all expected him to read the texts out loud though, which wasn’t ideal. Rowoon held his breath as he navigated to the unread notification, and hesitated for just a moment before opening it. 

< Hot Dad Youngbin **10:10 pm**

Hi Rowoon! Thanks so much for sending me a text, I was hoping you would! Sorry that it was so secretive, I didn’t want to distract you from meeting all the other parents. Thank you so much for being such a great teacher for Chani and Hwiyoung all year, they both adore you!

< Hot Dad Youngbin **10:57 pm**

I hope this isn’t too much since we don’t know each other very well, but would you like to get lunch with me tomorrow? My treat!

“I thought you said he had one kid?”

“That literally is beyond unimportant right now Sejun, what about the fact that Rowoon has been asked on a date!”

Rowoon took a big mouthful of his coffee and wished that he had really stayed in bed this morning. Because now he had to deal with his friends encouraging him to agree to lunch and meet him, which was such a bad idea. Maybe Sejeong was right and this wasn’t a romantic thing, but it really did seem like a date. All his other friends seemed to agree and were trying to get him to say yes. 

“I don’t know, I’m his sons' teacher.”

“Not anymore you’re not! It’s the summer holidays, they’ve graduated from your class, say yes!”

“Whatever you decide to do though you better do it soon, you need to give him time to get ready.”

***

A loud shout made Inseong drop the pile of laundry he was holding and sprint into the living area to see what was wrong. Youngbin was making breakfast and all he could think was that his partner had injured himself with something. He ran into the kitchen to find Youngbin with his back turned to him and slightly hunched over, and it seemed he was clutching his hand or his chest.

“Babe! Are you alright? What happened?”

“He said yes!”

Youngbin turned around and he wasn’t missing a finger or burnt or bleeding. He was gripping his phone in one hand and had a huge smile on his face, so big that his eyes had disappeared into crescents. 

“He said yes?!”

“Yes!! He just answered back and said he would love to meet me for lunch later! Look!”

< Teacher Kim **9:14 am**

Lunch sounds lovely. I’m free after two o’clock today if that suits? Did you have somewhere in mind?

Breakfast and housework forgotten, Inseong and Youngbin spent twenty minutes looking at restaurants and cafés in the area that would be a nice date spot. Somewhere not too over-the-top but also private enough that Youngbin would be able to explain everything to Rowoon. In the end, they settled on a nice little sandwich bar not too far from where Inseong worked and Youngbin sent a confirmation text. His heart was beating out of his chest with excitement and nervousness. Inseong gave him a kiss on the cheek and then playfully smacked his arm and told him to get back to cooking. Youngbin giggled and saluted his partner before they went back to what they were supposed to be doing. 

> Teacher Kim **9:37 am**

It’s a date! There’s a sandwich bar called ‘Fan-tasty’ that is meant to be really nice! I’ll meet you there for around quarter past two! I can’t wait to see you!

Over their breakfast, Youngbin and Inseong went over everything that they wanted to clear up with Rowoon. Youngbin didn’t want to come across too strong but Inseong thought it would be best to be clear from the beginning. The last thing they wanted was to lead him on or confuse him even further. All morning Youngbin had butterflies in his stomach, and not even cuddling with Inseong dampened them down. This was a different kind of feeling.

He and Inseong had fit together so well from the first moment they met. Bonding over their sons’ enthusiasm and being young, single, working parents really strengthened their relationship quickly. The undeniable attraction definitely helped too. But his crush on Rowoon had always been different. And now he felt like a teenager again getting excited about going on a first date. Except his date was a teacher and he had a partner and two sons who would be waiting for him when he got home. 

“Don’t overthink it too much babe, just enjoy and see what he says. Maybe he won’t be into it but we can try to keep a friendship with him.”

By the time Youngbin had to leave for his date he was shaking with nerves. Inseong made the executive decision that he would drive and drop him to the restaurant before he went to pick up the boys. Youngbin tried to protest but it wasn’t worth it, he knew he wouldn’t be a safe driver in his current state. So they drove out together, and Youngbin had to admit that having his partner with him was helping, especially hearing his gentle voice singing along to the radio as they held hands in Youngbin’s lap. Inseong stopped the car right outside the front of the store and they shared a brief kiss before Youngbin climbed out and headed inside. He would either call Inseong when he was ready to go or take the bus, depending on how everything went. 

Rowoon watched from around the corner as Inseong and Youngbin kissed goodbye as Chani’s dad got out and waved goodbye before making his way into the restaurant. So, did Inseong know his boyfriend was coming here to meet him? Did he think it was just lunch or was he aware Youngbin had called this a date? He was tempted to just turn around and head home, but then a text notification appeared on his phone. 

< Hot Dad Youngbin **2:16 pm**

I’ve just gotten a table inside! 

He couldn’t back out now. Maybe this was for the best, he would make it clear that he did not approve of cheating in any manner and would not be a secret that Youngbin was keeping from his boyfriend and their sons. So he straightened himself to full height and walked with confidence to the restaurant and inside. He spotted Youngbin straight away, it was hard not to with the way he was watching the door and waved as soon as Rowoon walked in. Rowoon walked over with a purpose still in his step, but the closer he got to Youngbin the more his determination wavered. 

Youngbin looked amazing, black hair swept back from his forehead and a soft pastel sweater. He smiled widely when Rowoon got closer and hopped out of his seat to pull the chair out for Rowoon. A true gentleman. As he sat back down opposite Rowoon he poured him a glass of water, smiling the whole time. Rowoon’s heart was thumping so hard he was sure it could be heard by everyone in the building, but Youngbin continued to look at him so brightly. It was awful, but he almost considered not mentioning anything and just letting himself enjoy this moment. But that was wrong, he couldn’t do that. So he took a sip of water and cleared his throat, ready to speak his mind. Youngbin beat him to it.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me for lunch Rowoon. I was afraid that I had been too forward and scared you off.”

“Oh - no you weren’t at all. I was a little shocked though.”

“Sorry about that. Inseong told me to wait for you to message me back again before asking you out, but I was too impatient.”

He laughed shyly, taking a small sip of his own water. It should have been cute, it was cute, but Rowoon was stuck on the insinuation that Inseong knew. He knew that this was a date, and he was ok with it. But Rowoon couldn’t understand how that was possible. So he asked.

“Inseong knows about our date?”

“Of course, he actually dropped me here because I was so nervous I didn’t think it was a good idea to drive myself.”

“Oh.”

“Rowoon, there is a lot to talk about. How about we order first and then I’ll explain everything?”

They ordered their food and made small talk while they waited. It was nice. Rowoon really enjoyed Youngbin’s company, he was very easy to be around. He let himself relax a little, the other had promised they were going to talk about it. And after they had made a start on their sandwiches, Youngbin reached out his hand and put it over one of Rowoon’s.

“So, would you rather I explain or do you want to ask questions?”

“I guess it would be best if you just talk. I can ask questions if I have any afterwards.”

So Youngbin talked. He told the story of meeting Inseong and how they got together, and how happy they were with their little jigsaw puzzle family. Rowoon felt his stomach twist painfully hearing all the love in Youngbin’s voice as he spoke about his partner and how much he adored his sons. It was hard to keep a polite smile on his face, and he wondered how much more of this he could take. 

But then Youngbin started talking about him, Rowoon. About how he had developed a crush on his son's teacher since one of the first times he had seen him. How much he appreciated Rowoon’s care with the kids and how much it meant that Chani and Hwiyoung spoke so highly of him. The twist in his gut began to unravel and the butterflies made an appearance. Youngbin complimented him, spoke of his crush, not like something he was ashamed of but regretful that he couldn’t do anything about it. And then he spoke about Inseong again. Except this time he spoke of Inseong and his own crush on Rowoon. That shocked him. But Youngbin kept speaking and it made Rowoon’s ears burn and he was sure he was blushing. When the elder had finally finished, he took a large mouthful of water before giving Rowoon a blinding smile.

“Now’s your chance to ask me questions.”

Rowoon had a lot of questions. Most of them were to do with him being unsure what this actually meant. Youngbin and Inseong both liked him? Inseong was ok with Youngbin going on dates? Did Inseong also want to date him? He was overwhelmed by all the compliments he had gotten but also so very confused. It was one thing to know he liked both of them but being aware they were already in a happy relationship together. But it was something very different to be told that they liked him too.

“Inseong and I have talked a lot about this. We both would be interested in getting to know you better. But it’s entirely your decision. If you don’t want this or you’re not comfortable with the idea then please don’t feel like you have to agree to anything. We won’t be upset.”

“I - I’ll have to think about it. I’m sorry, it’s just a lot.”

“There’s nothing to apologise for. Take all the time you need to think about it. Whatever your answer is we will talk about it again. Thank you for agreeing to come out with me this afternoon, I’m glad we got to have this talk.”

Youngbin was so genuine, so sincere that Rowoon’s heart fluttered. He paid for both of their food against Rowoon’s protests and they talked about other things as they got ready to leave. Once they were back outside and the fresh air hit him again Rowoon realised how ridiculous all this really was. Had he really been considering that it would be possible for him to fit into an established relationship with kids involved like it was no big deal? His heart dropped but he kept a smile on his face as he said goodbye to Youngbin and briskly walked to his bus stop. 

In his head his thoughts were at war with one another. One side kept thinking back to all the compliments Youngbin had given him, how sincere he seemed to want to get to know Rowoon better. But his rational side reminded him that there was no real risk to Youngbin in this. If it didn’t work out he had a handsome partner to go home to at the end of the day, while Rowoon would be left heartbroken and alone. It could never work. He was stupid for even thinking about it. Rowoon vowed that as soon as he got home he would send Youngbin a message to say it wasn’t going to work and then block his number. There were plenty of other people out there he could learn to love.

< Hot Dad Youngbin **4:01 pm**

Thanks again for meeting me today. I know it was a lot to hear, so take your time thinking about it. Inseong and I will respect whatever decision you come to. Have a good day Rowoon! 

< Hot Dad Youngbin **4:04 pm**

The boys say hi!

It was almost a week since his date with Rowoon and while he was trying not to be worried, Youngbin was very worried. The younger had sent a message back after their date but had been silent since. Inseong was nothing but supportive, showering him with affection and reassurance that decisions like these were of course going to take time. But Youngbin couldn’t help but feel it was his fault. Maybe if he hadn’t been as forward, if he had eased the idea into the conversation, if Inseong had been the one to go on the date - maybe it would have been different. He was giving Rowoon space by not texting him, but he just wanted to know if he was ok. 

“Babe, why don’t you come to bed with me, hm?”

“I need to finish this.”

“The books are still going to be there in the morning. Maybe Hwiyoung would like to help? You know he likes arranging things.”

Inseong had woken up shortly after midnight to a muffled thumping coming from the living room. His partner wasn’t in bed beside him and he realised what was going on. Youngbin was blaming himself for scaring Rowoon off and was having trouble sleeping. He had found him sitting on the floor rearranging all the books on the bookshelf. It took a little bit of coaxing but he got him back to bed and wrapped up in his arms, rubbing patterns on his stomach and whispering words of love in his ear.

“I just want to know how he’s doing. I don’t expect him to have a decision, but it would be nice to hear from him.”

“I know babe, but we just have to wait. He’s a responsible adult, I’m sure he’s looking after himself just fine.”

After a little while Youngbin fell asleep, exhaustion overtaking his mind. Inseong was worried about his partner, and a little upset that Rowoon hadn’t been in touch. And so he did something he wasn’t very proud of. He carefully reached over and took Youngbin’s phone. He knew his password, unlocking it and going to the messages. His conversation was at the top, but it wasn’t too far to scroll down to find Rowoon’s. Checking that Youngbin was still asleep, he sent Rowoon’s contact to himself before deleting the message and setting the phone back where it had been. It was time he involved himself in this. 

< Unknown number **12:36 am**

Hi Rowoon, this is Kim Inseong. Sorry for the late message but I need to speak with you. It’s about Youngbin. Can you meet me tomorrow? I’ll be in the park beside the sandwich shop you went to last week from 12 - 1 pm. I hope I’ll see you there.

He had been having trouble sleeping all week, but this text was the last straw. Rowoon climbed out of bed and grabbed a jacket and shoes, leaving the apartment as quietly as he could. There was someone he really needed to talk to to put his mind about everything. Fortunately, his studio was only a few stops away on the bus and he was a late-night person anyway. Rowoon let himself in and made his way up the stairs. There was music coming from the door he was headed towards even at one in the morning and he rolled his eyes before knocking harshly on the wood in front of him. 

“Rowoon? What in God’s name are you doing here?!”

“Hey, I need to talk to you.”

Juho grabbed him by the arm and dragged him inside, directing him to sit on the couch pressed against one wall while he made instant coffee for both of them. It had been a long time since he and Juho had been together like this, just the two of them. Rowoon regretted that it had never worked out romantically between them, but they remained close even though they didn’t speak very often. If anyone could offer fresh insight into his situation, it was the red-head producer.

“Well, go on then. What’s keeping you up at night.”

“I’m having a relationship dilemma.”

“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone?”

“I’m not, that’s part of the dilemma. It’s a long story.”

“You’re here now, may as well start from the beginning.”

One of the things Rowoon appreciated about Juho was his willingness to sit in silence and just listen. He didn’t interrupt with questions, just let Rowoon spew out everything that was on his mind in a continuous flow of words. Half of it probably didn’t make sense but once he was finished venting Rowoon felt infinitely better. And only when he was sure Rowoon was done talking did Juho speak up.

“Your biggest worry seems to be that since they’re already a couple you won’t fit into their relationship. But they’ve both expressed an interest in getting to know you, and you like them both. What would be the harm in going on a few dates and see how you feel about it?”

“If it doesn’t work out I’ll be left alone and they’ll still have each other. I feel like I have more to lose if this goes wrong.”

“But it could also go right. I’m not saying you should agree to join their relationship right now, but I would encourage you to meet them a few more times and see where that leads you. You won’t know unless you try.”

“I don’t know Juho, you don’t know these guys like they seem very sweet but I don’t see how they can be so open to dating someone like me when they already have each other.

Juho made a choking sound and turned to cough. Rowoon asked him if he was alright and he waved off the concern. If he didn’t know better Rowoon would have thought Juho was laughing at him. When he had eventually gotten his breath back, Juho took one of Rowoon’s hands in his own and looked at him directly.

“Whether or not you decide to take my advice and get to know them better is entirely up to you. But you can’t leave them in the dark about your decision. They’re obviously worried and upset, and you need to be grown up enough to talk to them and not just run away from your problems.”

He offered to let Rowoon stay with him that night since the last of the buses had finished running. There was one condition though, he told him just as he was about to hand Rowoon the blankets for the couch. He had to reply to Inseong. Right now. Rowoon wanted to argue but Juho just raised an eyebrow at him. So the taller caved and pulled up his newest message.

> Kim Inseong **3:49 am**

I will meet you in the park at twelve-thirty. 

“Happy now?”

“Absolutely. Sleep well Rowoon.”

When Inseong woke up Youngbin was still sound asleep in bed beside him. That alone made him breathe a sigh of relief, and as much as he would have loved to cuddle up to his partner and have a lazy Sunday morning he really needed to pee. So as carefully as he could, he climbed out of bed without disturbing the man beside him and hurried to the bathroom. A quick peek into the boys' room showed they were also still out for the count and Inseong smiled at their little limbs sprawled across their beds. It was still early, so Inseong slipped back under the covers and checked his phone. There were two messages waiting for him, one he had been hoping for and one he was not expecting. 

< Teacher Kim **3:49 am**

I will meet you in the park at twelve-thirty.

< Uncle Juho **3:52 am**

Call me as soon as you can.

He groaned quietly. The chances of these two messages being unrelated were slim, and Inseong couldn’t help but wonder how Juho of all people got involved. But he climbed out of bed again anyway, making his way to the living area so he wouldn’t disturb Youngbin’s sleep. Once he was out of hearing range he pressed call on Juho’s number.

“Good morning I have things to say to you.”

“Good morning to you too Juho. How do you know Rowoon?”

“We dated for a while about a year ago, didn’t go anywhere but we stay in touch. He crashed at my place last night after spending over an hour ranting about how he had a crush on two parents of his students but they were already in a relationship and yet apparently they want to date him.”

“And?”

“And he’s stressed because he is afraid that if things don’t work out he would be left alone while you two still have each other. He’s scared of trying.”

“What do you think I should do?”

“Just talk to him I guess. He’s never been lucky with dating or relationships in the past and I think he just needs a bit of reassurance that this is something you and Youngbin are both willing to really try.”

“Alright, thanks a million Juho. Do you think you could come over and keep Youngbin and the boys entertained around midday? Rowoon has agreed to meet me to talk.”

“Sure, I have a new song I’ve been wanting Youngbin to record some lyrics for anyway.”

“Thank you, I’ll catch you later.”

If there was one thing Inseong could always count on Juho for it was to be there when they needed him. And it seems like that was the way he was for everyone. Inseong decided there was no point going back to bed so he went and turned on the coffee machine instead. Since he was up he may as well make a nice big breakfast for his little family. 

Chani woke up first, the smell of pancakes obviously dragging him out of bed. Inseong laughed at his bed head and smoothed it down as he gave him a good morning kiss. He still seemed very sleepy, rubbing his eyes every minute and looking like he was going to fall asleep where he stood. Inseong gently suggested he go and sit on the couch until breakfast was finished, which he did. By the time he got a chance to go check on the young boy he had fallen asleep lying down against the couch cushions. Inseong picked him up and carried him back to his and Youngbin’s bedroom, where he put him down next to his dad. He then went and lifted Hwiyoung out of bed and put him lying on Youngbin’s other side before returning to the breakfast. 

About twenty minutes later Youngbin came into the kitchen with a sleepy boy on each hip like baby koalas. Inseong chuckled at the sight and managed to snap a picture on his phone. He pressed a gentle kiss to his partner’s lips as he wandered in to see what was cooking. The two boys were not fully awake yet and Inseong’s heart swelled at the sight.

“Morning babe. And good morning boys.”

“Hi papa. Are you making pancakes?”

“I am indeed baby, they’re almost ready.”

They had breakfast together, the four of them sitting around the table in their pyjamas with sleep still in their eyes. Youngbin felt unusually drained, not just physically tired but something else. He still smiled as Chani and Hwiyoung spoke about nonsense and enjoyed the delicious pancakes and coffee made by his amazing partner. He wondered why he had even tried to look for something more when all he needed was right here. So when they were cleaning up he pulled Inseong in for a kiss. The two boys made noises of disgust and ran away shrieking when Youngbin chased them both for kisses too. With his sons in his arms squealing and giggling and his partner in the kitchen of their home laughing at his antics, he felt infinitely lighter than he had all week.

Juho came over just before twelve with a packet of cookies for Chani and Hwiyoung and his laptop and headphones. It didn’t take long for their younger friend to corner Youngbin into the study to listen to his newest demo, allowing Inseong to say he was heading out for a little bit. Before he left he stuck his head into the boys' room and gave them each a big hug. 

“Your dad has been a little sad for the last few days. If I’m not back by lunchtime I want you to make sure uncle Juho makes you guys something to eat and give your dad a big hug ok?”

“Ok papa!”

It wasn’t a long drive to the park since there was no traffic on a Sunday afternoon. The weather was nice, perfectly beginning to roll into summer. Inseong spent the drive thinking about what he was going to say to Rowoon. Youngbin had thought that their date went well, and he had been at least willing to think about. But then he never sent a message, not even to say he needed more time. But Juho seemed to think Rowoon was just scared of what would happen to him if things didn’t work out. Inseong could see why that would be worrisome, but he hoped that at the very least he could convince him not to leave Youngbin in the dark about his decision any longer.

When he got to the park he sat down on a bench that was a little more private and sent a text detailing where he was. He was a little early but that was ok, his nerves wouldn’t have let him stay at home any longer. The park was pretty quiet today, only a few people out walking. He hoped that after this talk everything would be cleared up and he could go back to letting his friends set him up on bad blind dates. 

“Rowoon?”

At the sound of his name, he turned to see Inseong walking towards him. His breath caught in his throat when he looked at him. He was dressed casually in jeans and a white t-shirt but yet he looked incredible. Rowoon stood up, fingers nervously playing with the hem of his own shirt while he waited for Inseong to come closer.

“Hey, how have you been?”

Inseong could feel the nervous energy radiating off Rowoon in waves. He looked peaked, skin dull and eyes darting from side to side. He sat down on one end of the bench, watching as Rowoon slowly sat back down too. He wouldn’t meet Inseong’s eyes as he answered in mumbles that he had been ok. Inseong had hoped they could have made some small talk first before getting into everything, but it seemed like that wasn’t going to work. So he cleared his throat and reached out one hand towards Rowoon, palm up, hoping he would take it. After a moment's hesitation he did, and Inseong rubbed circles on the back of Rowoons hand with his thumb as he began to talk.

He didn’t mention Juho but left nothing else out about the last week. How distracted and worried Youngbin had been. How upset they both were that they might have lost the opportunity to get to know Rowoon better. How relieved he was when Rowoon agreed to meet him today. He explained how, even though he and Youngbin had ended up together, they had both been harbouring crushes on Rowoon before that. The younger male flushed from Inseong’s compliments but remained silent. He talked about how excited he had been when Youngbin came home from their date last week and said Rowoon was willing to think about it because they were both hoping it would work out between the three of them.

“But, you and Youngbin have each other and the two boys, and you seem so happy. I don’t understand what I could possibly bring to your relationship.”

“You would bring yourself, that’s all we really care about. Rowoon, I understand this is a lot and it must be scary for you. But you don’t have to dedicate yourself to the idea of a relationship with us right now. If you would be interested, we could just go on dates to get to know each other better. No pressure for them to be anything more. We will do our best to make you feel included in our lives, and all we ask is for you to be open with us about how you feel about it.”

The teacher took a breath and let himself really embrace his thoughts and feelings on dating Inseong and Youngbin. He was attracted to them and had been for quite some time. They had both openly admitted they liked him too and they wanted to try this. He adored Hwiyoung and Chani and continuing to be part of their lives would make him happy. But he was still scared of the negative outcome. With Inseong’s hand joined with his though it was hard to linger on the negatives, not when they fit so perfectly together. He had said they could just do dates at first, and really that wouldn’t be so bad. So he looked up and caught Inseong’s eyes. He looked tired and worried. Rowoon felt bad that he had been part of the reason for that. 

“Ok. I would like to get to know you and Youngbin better too. And I promise I will try to communicate better. I’m sorry I ghosted you guys this week.”

“It’s alright, like I said I understand this was a scary thing for you to think about. How about you message Youngbin and tell him that you’ve thought about it and would like to go on another date with him? I think that would put his worried mind to rest.”

Rowoon nodded and Inseong smiled brightly for the first time since they had sat down. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders knowing that Rowoon would be willing to try. They said their goodbyes and Inseong headed back to his car, wanting to rush back home and talk to Youngbin about this new development. He was almost there when his phone lit up with an incoming call from his partner. He answered and was immediately hit with an excited scream.

“ROWOON SAID HE WANTS TO GO ON ANOTHER DATE!”

“That’s awesome babe! Listen, I’ll be home in ten minutes can we talk about it then?”

“Yes, of course. Drive safe and I’ll see you in a bit. I love you Inseong.”

“I love you too Binnie.”

They talked that night. To each other and to Rowoon. They were going to make an effort to have Rowoon feel included without being under any pressure to commit to anything just yet. Inseong was excited to go on dates again because he and Youngbin never really had the opportunity to do that. Youngbin was excited to get to know the teacher better and embrace these giddy feelings. And Rowoon? He was scared of being hurt and left alone, but willing to put himself out there and try. Because in the end, he wanted to be part of their family. 


End file.
